Another tranche of shows watched with my group, though they don’t really end up as recommendations:
Blood Blockade Battlefront: Started with some fun action, and a very cool-looking setting, but decayed rapidly—the plot arc it tried to set up towards the end was just dull. Avoid
Knights of Sidonia (season 2): Shifts much more towards the harem antics than the serious sci-fi; also some massive power inflation which could easily have been thematic but… isn’t. I greatly enjoyed it, but only recommended to people who enjoy light comedy/romance.
Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works: Had its moments, and definitely has the production values; when it’s good, it’s very good. But massively wordy (arguably too faithful an adaptation), slow and self-indulgent. Again only for fans of the genre.
Kyousougiga: This I do recommend. A show that respects the viewer’s intelligence; the depths are there if you want to peer into them, but it keeps things interesting—or at least active—on the surface level too. And it’s got some wonderfully creative visuals.
Your Lie in April: Romance/melodrama, done reasonably well, and with beautiful visuals and sound—I particularly like the fact that this show is willing to make you sit and listen to a musical performance for minutes at a time. But has no ambition beyond its genre; you know whether you’re the target audience for this or not.
Madoka Rebellion: Fun for fans, but far too self-indulgent for anyone else. The plot is awkward and undermines some of the series. I enjoyed seeing beloved characters at play, and there’s one very fun fight, but it’s all fanservice.
Another tranche of shows watched with my group, though they don’t really end up as recommendations:
Blood Blockade Battlefront: Started with some fun action, and a very cool-looking setting, but decayed rapidly—the plot arc it tried to set up towards the end was just dull. Avoid
Knights of Sidonia (season 2): Shifts much more towards the harem antics than the serious sci-fi; also some massive power inflation which could easily have been thematic but… isn’t. I greatly enjoyed it, but only recommended to people who enjoy light comedy/romance.
Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works: Had its moments, and definitely has the production values; when it’s good, it’s very good. But massively wordy (arguably too faithful an adaptation), slow and self-indulgent. Again only for fans of the genre.
Kyousougiga: This I do recommend. A show that respects the viewer’s intelligence; the depths are there if you want to peer into them, but it keeps things interesting—or at least active—on the surface level too. And it’s got some wonderfully creative visuals.
Your Lie in April: Romance/melodrama, done reasonably well, and with beautiful visuals and sound—I particularly like the fact that this show is willing to make you sit and listen to a musical performance for minutes at a time. But has no ambition beyond its genre; you know whether you’re the target audience for this or not.
Madoka Rebellion: Fun for fans, but far too self-indulgent for anyone else. The plot is awkward and undermines some of the series. I enjoyed seeing beloved characters at play, and there’s one very fun fight, but it’s all fanservice.